U.F.O.s

A cosmic power struggle for 3 to 6 players.

Published by Salagames
Designed by Alan R Moon
Art by Ralf E Kahlert
Edited by Mick Ado
Translated by Brent Jackson (brentj@advgroup.co.nz)

Somewhere in the depths of the Universe, Robots, Plant-creatures,
Insectoids and the Confederation of the First Dominions fight over their
Galaxy. Thanks to their high level of development, however, they carry
out their struggle in peaceful ways: in their unusual games and under
engagements that test Intelligence and Endurance, as decided on by their
regents. But, they make their plans without consideration of the power
of the legendary Metamorphs. With their incredible abilities of
transformation, they will bring confusion, before the final victor is
established.

Components

60 cards with the creatures of the remote Galaxy

42 small action cards

48 power chips in the values 1 (x 24), 5 (x 18) and 10 (x 6)

1 Rule Sheet

Preparation

Each player receives a set of 7 small action cards and power chips
totaling 15. The remaining chips will be a stock situated in the middle
of the table.

The Power Cards

The Score Cards

Flag

Confederation

Plus

Positive

Compound Eyes

Insectoid

Minus

Negative

Bolt

Robots

Leaf

Plant Creatures

Black X

No Trump

A player is appointed as dealer for the first round [suggest cutting for
highest card]. The dealer shuffles and deals all the cards to the
players. The dealer begins play on the first hand. The deal moves to the
left at the end of each hand.

The Game Play

Each hand is divided into two sections. During the first section the
players decide by using their power chips, which race in this hand
possesses the power, and also whether the scoring basis is to be
positive or negative. In the second section the cards will be played and
the supply of power chips will fall and increase. In the end, the player
with the most power chips, wins the game.

The Game Duration

Before beginning the first hand the players should agree on the number
of hands to play. We recommend for 3 or 4 players, at least 6 hands, and
for 5 or 6 players at least 4 hands. It is up to the players themselves,
how many hands to which the stress of this cosmic struggle grows.

The Game Cards

In the 60 game cards we find pictures of the four races of the remote
galaxy. It has Plant Creatures (green), Insectoids (Yellow), Robots
(Grey) and the Union of the Confederation (Red). Each colour has values
from 1 to 15. Also in the remote galaxy, there exists, almost
unrecognised, a fifth race, the so-called Metamorphs. Their special
ability allows them to assume the shape of another race. In order for
the Metamorphs to be recognised in this game we have made them a strong
blue, which, however, does not mean that their ability of conversion has
been lost. In this game they have assumed the values of cards 10 and 12
in all races. We recommend that attention is paid to this particular
condition.

The Action Cards

The 42 Action Cards are always used in the first section of a hand. With
them the players determine the controlling race and the type of scoring.
A set of 7 Action Cards has one of each colour of the power cards of the
participating races, one neutral card, with which comes the exception of
no race having the power, and finally one card each for the positive and
negative scoring.

The First Section

Selecting the Power and Scoring

From their set of power cards the players decide which race will be in
power as the hand is played. To do this they use the action cards. Each
player secretly chooses one of the 5 power cards and puts it face down
on the table. Normally you choose a race of which you possess
particularly many or else high values. Finally you decide whether this
round should have positive or negative scoring. If you have mainly high
cards you choose positive, if mainly low cards then negative. This
chosen card you put likewise, face down on the table.

Simultaneously all players turn over their score cards. The power cards
remain face down until later.

Determination of Power and Scoring

Beginning with the dealer and then clockwise each player must carry out
one of the three following actions in their turn:

(1) Pass - When they wish to withdraw, they pass and turn their scoring
card back over. They are then out of the bidding and take part again
only in the second section.

(2) Bet - In order for their selected and face down power card to come
to power, a player must bet power chips. The first bet in a hand usually
by the dealer, can be however high. Each later bet must be at least one
power chip over the previous one. Players without chips cannot bet.
Maybe no player bets more chips than you have yet . It is completely
possible, that a player pass, although their last bet has not yet been
overbid. If all other players after them pass and their bet remains the
highest, they win the betting.

(3) Espy - The player may look at a face down power card. They must in
return pay that player a power chip. When they look at the card of the
opposing player, they should be careful that no other player can see the
cards colour. Even if a player is later in a hand, they can still be
espied.

Once all players have passed, the first section is ended. Only the
player that has played the most power chips puts these into the stock.
Only they turn over their power card. For the second section the power
is possessed by their chosen race. As well, their score card determines
the scoring at the end of the round. Both cards remain face up. When the
neutral power card is played, then in this round no race has the power.
Should all players pass and the highest bet be nothing, then the dealers
cards are valid for this hand.

The Second Section

The Cosmic Struggle

The victor from the betting begins and plays out the first card. When a
players turn comes, they must play a card. They must play a card of the
colour of the first card played. If for example, a red card is played as
the first card, all other players must likewise play a red card. If you
have no card the colour of this race, then in this trick if you have the
power, trump.

After each player has placed a card, then we find out who has taken this
trick, and they take the cards. The trick is won by the player who has
played the highest card of the colour of the first played card. If
however, one or more cards of the colour of the race in power have been
played, then in this trick the power is used (trumps), so the player who
wins the trick is that who played the highest card of this race,
independent of the colour that was first played.

The Metamorphs

The Metamorphs use their power of conversion always according to the one
same principle. When a blue 10 or 12 is played, and already at least one
card has been played, then the blue card will automatically take the
form of the race that was first played.

Example: A red 11 was the first card played. Each blue card in this
trick will automatically be a red card.

When a blue 10 or 12 is the first card played, then the player decides
to which of the four races the card converts.

Example: The first card played is a blue 12. The player names this as
the green race. Therefore the blue 12 is for this trick a green card. If
in this trick another blue card is played, then it will automatically
become a green card.

A player who cannot play a card of the race of the first card played, is
not forced to play a blue card. They can discard any card or even trump.
In the hand of the player a Metamorph is always blue, until from their
play they take the colour of one of the four races.

The player who wins the trick, puts the cards in a pile before them on
the table. If they receive later tricks, then they put them here as
well, so that at the end of the round one can quickly look at the count
of the most tricks. The player who has won the trick leads to the next.

The Scoring

When all cards have been played, each player counts the total of their
tricks. The worth of each card is now not important. After scoring you
now receive further power chips.

Positive Scoring

Each player receives as many power chips from the stock as tricks that
they have won. So getting 3 tricks also gets 3 power chips. The player
who in this round won the betting, receives double count power chips.
For 3 tricks they receive 6 power chips.

Negative Scoring

For the negative scoring the player with the least tricks receives power
chips. The chips they receive is the total tricks of the player with the
most tricks. If many players have the least tricks, they each receive
chips. If among them is the player who has won the betting, then they
receive double the chips.

Additionally, the player with the most tricks in total, also puts power
chips into the stock. If there are several players with the same total
of most tricks, then each lose the corresponding number of chips. If
among them is the player who has won the betting, then they of course
lose double the number of chips.

Example: Player Alpha has won the most tricks with 6. Player Beta has
only one trick. Alpha must now pay 6 power chips and Beta receives 6
power chips. Had Beta also won the betting in this hand, then they
receive a superb 12 chips.

A player can never be in negatives. If they have no more chips, then
they can also pay no more.

The Game End

The game ends after the number of hands decided at the beginning of the
game. We recommend for 3 and 4 players six rounds, and for 5 and 6
players 4 rounds. The players themselves decide how many hands are
played. In any case, after the arranged number of rounds the player with
the most power chips wins.